Admissions staff

DEGREE/INSTITUTION: B.A. in English, Alma College;
M.A. in Education, Michigan State University

What makes Saint Martin’s University distinctive?
This is an exciting time to be a student at St. Martin’s. With a
talented faculty and modern facilities, St. Martin students have an
exceptional opportunity to earn a first-rate education. And guided by
our Benedictine values, they are constantly challenged to seek ways to
enrich the lives of others

Why did you choose to be a part of the Saint Martin’s
community?The students. They are bright, motivated, and give me
faith in our country’s prospects for the future.

What is your favorite place in Lacey/Olympia? Having
just moved to the area, I have yet to discover it. Check back this
summer as I expect to have a long list by then!

Interesting Facts

What was your favorite class in college? Chaucer. It
was a class of eight students, taught by a superb professor and in
Middle English. Studying Chaucer, one begins to understand that no
matter how times have changed, people remain the same.

You get to meet any historical figure. Who do you choose and
why? John of Gaunt. He was the son and brother of kings, uncle
to another, and for decades the most powerful man in England. Oh, the
stories he could tell.

Anything else interesting?I have visited 9 of South
America’s 12 counties and have travelled extensively in Europe as well.
Most recently, I visited former students in Beijing and Chengdu in the
People’s Republic of China.

Do you have a message you would like to share with students
thinking about Saint Martin’s?

What makes Saint Martin’s University distinctive?
The sense of community that permeates from the institution itself. Never
have I seen a campus so integrated, so friendly, so warm, and so
committed to the success and welfare of its students, it’s truly an
amazing thing.

Why did you choose to be a part of the Saint Martin’s
community?
I always thought working in higher education would be a great
experience, and when I got to Saint Martin’s I instantly fell in love
with the institution. There are very few places where you can chat with
a monk, take a walk through pristine woods, and get $5 movie tickets all
on your lunch break!

What is your favorite place in Lacey/Olympia? Any of
the beautiful parks that are incorporated all over the city, we truly
are the Evergreen State! Downtown Olympia as an art and music hub is
pretty great as well!

Interesting Facts

What was your favorite class in college?Social
Psychology, the subject matter fascinated me and I had a wonderful
professor who made what I learned relevant in my day to day life!

You get to meet any historical figure. Who do you choose and
why? Winston Churchill, he’s a distant relative and from all
of the stories I’ve heard, seemed like a hoot and a half to kick it
with.

What song can’t you get out of your head right now?
“Radar Love”

Coke, Pepsi, or something else? Coca Cola went to
town, Pepsi Cola shot him down, Dr. Pepper patched him up, now we all
drink 7-Up. And by that I mean Pepsi all the way!

Do you have a message you would like to share with students
thinking about Saint Martin’s?

This school is a very
special place. Saint Martin’s was not my alma mater but after spending a
month here, I wish it was. It has a deep and profound sense of community
at its core, and it leaves me genuinely excited to go to work each day
to have a part in helping to build that community!

What makes Saint Martin’s University distinctive? The
warm atmosphere you feel when you come on campus.

What is your favorite place in Lacey/Olympia? The
Farmers Market.

Interesting Facts

What is the most interesting place you have visited?
Melbourne, Australia

Where would you still like to visit that you haven't already?
Lake Como, Italy

You get to meet any historical figure. Who do you choose and why?
The spies of WWII. They exhibited incredible dedication, determination and
bravery under the worst possible conditions because they believed in the
cause.

Do you have a message you would like to share with students
thinking about Saint Martin’s?

Once you start the process,
continue it in a timely fashion. If you have any questions, call us. That’s
why we are here!

What makes Saint Martin’s University distinctive? The
Monks. Underneath those black robes hide colorful and diverse personalities!
My interactions with them are never dull.

Why did you choose to be a part of the Saint Martin’s community?
I started as an intern in the Human Resource office and was enlisted to work
in Admissions. I have seen the recruiting processes for outstanding faculty,
staff, and students on this campus. I’m proud of our talent here!

What is your favorite place in Lacey/Olympia? The
State Theater.

Interesting Facts

What was your favorite class in college? I had a
Western Civilization class of 500 students my sophomore year. To keep
everyone interested, the professor would often show up dressed up as a
famous person from history and teach in character. Mark Twain and Calamity
Jane were his best lectures!

What song can’t you get out of your head right now?
“This Corrosion” by Sisters of Mercy.

What is the ideal way to spend a Saturday night? Roller
Derby.

Do you have a message you would like to share with students
thinking about Saint Martin’s?

You can be as Catholic (or not Catholic) as you want to be. The school
centers itself in the Benedictine values. For me this means that even though
I don’t identify as Catholic or go to mass, I am still connected to the
university mission. People here go out of their way to make me feel included
and accepted as part of the SMU community.

Territories: Serving Alaska and the following Washington
counties – Thurston, Lewis and Mason as well as 1/2 of Pierce. (Lakewood/Gig
Harbor/Bethel/Spanaway)

About me…

HOMETOWN: Shelton, Washington

DEGREE/INSTITUTION: B.A. in Music and Theatre Arts/Saint
Martin’s University

What makes Saint Martin’s University distinctive?
The seamless blend of tradition and modernity on campus sets Saint Martin’s
apart from similar institutions.

Interesting Facts

You get to meet any historical figure. Who do you choose and why?
I’d love to sit down with Kobo Abe, Japanese playwright, and learn what it
was like to live and write in such a radically changing time (post
nuclear-detonation).

What song can’t you get out of your head right now?
“Amsterdam” by Imagine Dragons.

What is the ideal way to spend a Saturday night?
Dinner, a movie in or out with friends, followed up by some licorice spice
tea and a good book.

Coke, Pepsi, or something else?
Espresso.

Do you have a message you would like to share with students
thinking about Saint Martin’s?

I would like to encourage any student considering Saint Martin’s to visit
campus. It is one thing to memorize facts about the university from the
website, but it is difficult to truly feel and understand how the
Benedictine tenets affect and form Saint Martin’s spirit of community
without experiencing it in person.

DEGREE/INSTITUTION: B.A. Spanish and Public Relations-
Washington State University

What makes Saint Martin’s University distinctive? The
size and the friendliness of the people here make Saint Martin’s a unique
place. I have only been on campus a short time, but I can already tell that
this is a University where people aren’t afraid to reach out and welcome
you.

Interesting Facts

What is the most interesting place you have visited?
I visited Paris for only a day and it lived up to everything you would
imagine
Paris to be. I had read about the city in books and seen movies
centered solely on what it is like to visit there. For me, the monuments,
gardens and whole experience were exactly what I imagined it would be.

What was your favorite class in college?
Pre-20th Century English Novels. I had a professor who was so passionate
about her topic. We were reading a novel and at one point a pitifully small
amount of food was described in measurements the class didn’t understand.
The next day, our professor brought in half of a potato and rolls. The
entire class looked at her a bit oddly, but she was so excited! She was
showing us the amount of food that we had read about in class the day
before. She also brought food and movies into her classroom to really
emphasize the setting of the books we read. It was a really interesting and
fun class.

What are you currently reading in your “spare time”?
It’s too hard to choose. Jane Austen, G.K Chesterton, Charlotte Bronte and
C.S. Lewis are authors I enjoy.

Do you have a message you would like to share with students
thinking about Saint Martin’s?

Look at the goals you have for your college experience and let that guide
you as you begin exploring Saint Martin’s and other universities. Be sure
not to rule us out because of the initial upfront price of the University.
There are so many scholarships and options available to you and it’s really
important to explore those. Saint Martin’s offers a wide variety of programs
and activities and we may turn out to be the perfect fit for you!

DEGREE/INSTITUTION: : B.A. in History and Political
Science - Saint Martin's University

What makes Saint Martin’s University distinctive? Our
Benedictine traditions of hospitality and service

What is your favorite place in Lacey/Olympia? Priest
Point Park

Interesting Facts

What is the most interesting place you have visited? The
Redwood Forests in California.

Where would you still like to visit that you haven't already?
Japan would be awesome (minus the extreme insects). The Freddie Mercury
statue in Montreux Switzerland…basically anywhere in Europe

You get to meet any historical figure. Who do you choose and why?
I think it would be cool to meet Alice Paul. She was a radical women’s
suffragist who inspired a nation and turned the tide during the end of the
first wave of feminism. I think we could play roller derby together. Sir
Edmund Hillary is another good one (he was the first person to reach the
summit of Mt. Everest)…Jesse Owens… and of course there are many other
historical figures I would love to meet.

Do you have a message you would like to share with students
thinking about Saint Martin’s?

Saint Martin’s is a wonderful university that is constantly growing and
improving. You will find a friendly atmosphere here that is unlike anywhere
else.

What makes Saint Martin’s University distinctive?
The small class sizes of Saint Martin’s help students develop strong
personal and professional relationships with faculty. These relationships
aren’t something you typically see at a University, but at Saint Martin’s
they happen all the time and they are extremely beneficial for students.

What is your favorite place in Lacey/Olympia?
My favorite place in the area is called South Bay BBQ; they have some of the
best BBQ I’ve ever had!

Interesting Facts

What is the most interesting place you have visited?
The most interesting place I’ve visited would have to be the island of Oahu,
HI. I’ve made great friends in my time at SMU and was fortunate enough to
visit their homes in Hawaii.

Where would you still like to visit that you haven't already?
I would love to go to the UK and visit the different major cities to
experience the difference in culture. I would also love to see a tennis and
soccer match.

What was your favorite class in college?
My favorite class in college would have to be Social Psychology; learning
about how people interact and the affects their social status has on
relationships is very fascinating.

What is your favorite movie?
My favorite movie would have to be Ocean’s Eleven. The story and the cast
are very entertaining!

What song can’t you get out of your head right now?
“Paradise” – by Cris Cab

What is the ideal way to spend a Saturday day/night?
My ideal Saturday would be hanging out with close friends and doing things
like playing basketball, video games, or watching a movie.

Do you have a message you would like to share with students
thinking about Saint Martin’s?

The Saint Martin’s faculty and staff are a caring group of people who are
dedicated to the success of every student. It’s something that I have
experienced myself and it’s something that I want potential students to
experience.

What makes Saint Martin’s University distinctive?
The Benedictine values of Faith, Reason, Service and Community

Why did you choose to be a part of the Saint Martin’s community?
Saint Martin’s felt like home the very first day I stepped onto the campus.
There is a real sense of community with staff, faculty and students that I
had never sensed before.

What is your favorite place in Lacey/Olympia?
Waterfront Park

Interesting Facts:

What is the most interesting place you have visited?
Spain

Where would you still like to visit that you haven't already?
Italy

What was your favorite class in college?
Family Systems

What is your favorite movie?
The Three Amigos – just ask my grand kids

What are you currently reading in your “spare time”?
What spare time?

You get to meet any historical figure. Who do you choose and why?
Eleanor Roosevelt – I admire her strength during a time that women in the
U.S. were not considered to have much say. She was bold, courageous and
probably the first women who defined the word multi-tasking.

What song can’t you get out of your head right now?
Special Delivery by Evie

What is the ideal way to spend a Saturday day/night?
Sitting at home watching movies

Coke, Pepsi, or something else?
Definitely something else

Do you have a message you would like to share with students
thinking about Saint Martin’s?
Check us out—you will be surprised!

DEGREE/INSTITUTION: Associate of Arts, Grays Harbor
College; Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Communication, Washington State
University

HOMETOWN: Elma, WA

What makes Saint Martin’s University distinctive?
Everyone on campus is extremely warm and welcoming, and is genuinely excited
that you are here. The smaller campus size also allows you to meet and get
to know so many more people on a deeper personal level.

What is your favorite place in Lacey/Olympia? The park
around Capitol Lake and Meconi’s.

Interesting Facts:

What is the most interesting place you have visited?
Germany. The country itself is gorgeous, and the people are some of the
friendliest kind I have ever met.

Where would you still like to visit that you haven't already?
Greece. I love ancient history, and the scenery looks to be pretty nice as
well!

What was your favorite class in college? Catering and
Food Systems

What is your favorite movie? The Mummy

What are you currently reading in your “spare time”?
Storm of Swords, the third book in the Song of Ice and Fire series.

You get to meet any historical figure. Who do you choose and why?
Queen Elizabeth I, because she successfully ran an entire country at a time
when it was unthinkable for a woman to rule alone. She also helped cultivate
a large amount of the music, art, and culture we still enjoy to this day.

What song can’t you get out of your head right now? I
constantly have about five songs simultaneously going through my brain. They
usually consist of country, classic rock, Broadway show tunes, and anything
by Frank Sinatra or Michael Buble.

What is the ideal way to spend a Saturday day/night?
Laying in a hammock reading, BBQing on the patio with friends and family,
going to the dirt track races at Grays Harbor Speedway, and/or going to a
Mariners game.

Coke, Pepsi, or something else? Milk. Or coffee. Or
coffee with milk.

Do you have a message you would like to share with students
thinking about Saint Martin’s? Go with your heart. This place has
a lot of wonderful, caring people who are here to make your educational
journey a success and will do whatever it takes to help.